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Brady near unanimous choice for MVP

NEW YORK -- Add Most Valuable Player to all the other accolades Tom Brady has been collecting.

Tom Brady rewrote the NFL record book in 2007 and earned all but one MVP vote.

The New England Patriots' record-setting quarterback drew all but one vote Saturday in romping to The Associated Press 2007 NFL MVP award in the same manner his team romped through its schedule, going 16-0. On the way to the first unbeaten regular season since Miami went 14-0 in 1972, Brady put on a performance for the ages.

"I have always been a huge football fan and will always have great respect for the history of this game," Brady said. "I am grateful to all of the voters for any consideration I was given. It is a tremendous honor and I am sure it is one that my family will one day look back on with great pride."

The eight-year veteran who already has won three Super Bowls helped the Patriots tear through the record books by throwing for 50 touchdowns. He beat Peyton Manning's league mark by one, and also threw 23 of those TD passes to Randy Moss, which lifted the receiver past Jerry Rice's record of 22.

New England scored 589 points, another record, as was the Patriots' 75 touchdowns. Brady led the NFL with a 117.2 passer rating -- no, not another record, but close to Manning's 121.1 in 2004. Only one full-time AFC starter, Jacksonville's David Garrard, had fewer than Brady's eight interceptions. And Brady threw 253 more passes than Garrard.

Brady also was tops with a 68.9 completion percentage, and his 4,806 yards were 383 more than runner-up Drew Brees of New Orleans.

Nothing Promised

Winning the AP NFL MVP does not guarantee postseason success. Since the turn of the century, no AP NFL MVP has won a Super Bowl, with only three advancing to the title game. The last to win both the MVP and the Super Bowl was Kurt Warner in 1999.
Year

Brady joins a roster of AP MVPs that includes quarterbacks John Unitas, Bart Starr, Fran Tarkenton, Dan Marino, Joe Montana, John Elway and Steve Young -- all Hall of Famers.

"I am flattered to join such an esteemed list of players, many of whom I consider the greatest of all time," he said. "I hope that I can set as great of an example for kids around the world as the previous MVPs did for me."

There also was plenty of praise to go around from teammates, Patriots owner Robert Kraft and coach Bill Belichick.

"To be honest, I'm surprised it took so long for him to get this recognition because he's sort of been our MVP since he stepped on the field in '01, in my mind, and the way he just took over," Kraft said. "He treats everyone in that locker room the same way he treats me or the coaches.

"And the thing that I've found most interesting is if you talk to role players or backups how he talks to them and motivates them. He treats them like they're going to the Pro Bowl, with that kind of respect."

Added Mike Vrabel, who has gone from a role player to a Pro Bowl linebacker over the years:

"He's our MVP. I think we've known that for quite some time. I think his work ethic day in and day out [is most impressive]. We get to practice against him so I think that makes us better. I think it makes us a better defense. He puts a lot of time into it. It's important to him. Going out there every week and then trying to play his absolute best is a priority for him."

Brady is the first Patriot selected NFL MVP. He drew 49 of the 50 votes from a nationwide panel of media members who regularly cover the NFL. Green Bay quarterback Brett Favre, the only three-time MVP, got the other vote.

"He deserves it," Belichick said. "I have thought for a long time that there is no past or present quarterback I'd rather coach than Tom Brady, and I am more certain of that every year he plays."

Only in one game, a 20-10 win over the Jets, did Brady not throw for a touchdown. He had 12 games with at least three TD passes.

Those are great stats, but they hardly tell the entire story. Brady's leadership skills overshadow just about everything.

"Tom's one of those guys that goes out there and tries to perform and compete every week," center Dan Koppen said. "He gives maximum effort on every play and every game. What he did was outstanding, but I know he wants more than that. That's what you need in your quarterback."

The last two MVP awards went to running backs LaDainian Tomlinson (2006) and Shaun Alexander (2005). Before that, quarterbacks won four in a row: Manning in 2004 and in 2003, when he shared it with Steve McNair; Rich Gannon in 2002; and Kurt Warner in 2001.

Re: Brady near unanimous choice for MVP

Only argument I have with that is Brady can win without Moss. Moss couldn't win without Brady. Some will argue that because Brady plays QB he has a greater impact on the offense, and that is true..but you can't penalize him for that. I am surprised that Moss got no votes though.

Re: Brady near unanimous choice for MVP

Only argument I have with that is Brady can win without Moss. Moss couldn't win without Brady. Some will argue that because Brady plays QB he has a greater impact on the offense, and that is true..but you can't penalize him for that. I am surprised that Moss got no votes though.

I'm just letting my "anti-patriot" feelings bleed through. Brady is a bad boy, I have to say. But I doubt they go undefeated without Moss.

Re: Brady near unanimous choice for MVP

I'm just letting my "anti-patriot" feelings bleed through. Brady is a bad boy, I have to say. But I doubt they go undefeated without Moss.

Patriots would still go undefeated without Moss. Line up Stallworth on the right, keep Welk in the slot. Those are still the best Receivers Brady has ever had. There game would change a bit, with the run be used more but that is it.

Re: Brady near unanimous choice for MVP

Patriots would still go undefeated without Moss. Line up Stallworth on the right, keep Welk in the slot. Those are still the best Receivers Brady has ever had. There game would change a bit, with the run be used more but that is it.

No way, not with some of the miracle catches he has made to keep them in games.

Re: Brady near unanimous choice for MVP

No way, not with some of the miracle catches he has made to keep them in games.

To keep them in games? lol I'm telling you Moss goes down to injury or throws a fit, that team isn't going to change that much. Stallworth can be a heck of a weapon too. If he becomes Brady's primary weapon he's going to have some spectacular catches.

Re: Brady near unanimous choice for MVP

They came real close to losing a few and it took everything they had to get through those. I don't know for sure what would've happened without Moss and neither do you, we're both assuming. But some of those one-handed catches that Moss pulled out of the air aren't gonna be completed by their other receivers (probably no other receiver in the league), and if those catches aren't made, they lose one or two, seemingly.

Re: Brady near unanimous choice for MVP

I'm just letting my "anti-patriot" feelings bleed through. Brady is a bad boy, I have to say. But I doubt they go undefeated without Moss.

I do agree with you here. It is highly unlikely that they go undefeated without Moss. I do think they would still win 14-15 games though. One thing that has bothered me all year is how the Pats have incorrectly utilized Donte Stallworth. The guy is much better then many think. He was a complete stud on the Eagles. They should use his deep speed more often when you consider how often he faces man to man coverage.

Re: Brady near unanimous choice for MVP

I do agree with you here. It is highly unlikely that they go undefeated without Moss. I do think they would still win 14-15 games though. One thing that has bothered me all year is how the Pats have incorrectly utilized Donte Stallworth. The guy is much better then many think. He was a complete stud on the Eagles. They should use his deep speed more often.

Stallworth would absolutely toast people when he played for the Eagles and the Saints, it was incredible. When the Eagles played the Saints, his other former team, in the playoffs last year he made the NO DB's look silly, although NO did end up winning that game.

I am sure BB is aware of this, but if you're 12-0, 13-0, and you're still winning, why not wait and utilize that weapon in the playoffs, since other teams haven't seen it on film this year? I wouldn't be surprised to see Stallworth toast 3 or 4 DB's during the playoffs this year.

I'm a huge Colts fan, but I've always liked the Stallworth. Yes, Moss is amazing, but Stallworth too is 10 times better than any WR you had last year.